When They Were Small
by Not-Idly-Do-They-Fall
Summary: A series of short stories about Fili and Kili's adventures when they were young, through the eyes of Thorin Oakenshield. (Please feel free to suggest a prompt when you review! 3)
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**** I, first off, wish to apologize for the length on this chapter. It is very short, and for that, I am sorry. I am accepting prompts, though, and they will (hopefully) be longer. If you wish to submit a prompt, just review this chapter. Thank you, and enjoy.**

_**I DO NOT OWN THE HOBBIT.**_

"What is it, Uncle Thorin?" Fili questions, peering over the edge of the bed.

"It's a baby, Fili." Thorin answers. "He's your brother."

"My brother?" The small blonde looks curiously at the tiny baby, almost as if he doesn't believe Thorin's words. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, I am sure." Thorin is amused by the question. Even if Fili is just a child, it still seems silly to ask.

"I don't want him." Fili says after a moment of careful consideration. He wrinkles his nose at the baby, moving away from the side of it's bed. "He's too small."

"Don't say that," Thorin says. "He will grow, just like you did when you were his size."

"I used to be that little?!" Fili seems alarmed by this, and Thorin nods in response. Fili considers the baby again, then looks up at his uncle. "Can I hold him?"

"You have to be careful." Thorin says, moving to take the baby in his arms. If Fili thought he looked small in his bed, he looked absolutely tiny in Thorin's huge arms. "Both hands." He places the baby in Fili's outstretched arms, but he doesn't let go. Fili is still small himself. He doesn't want him dropping the baby. He keeps his right hand underneath the small baby, supporting it.

"What's his name, Uncle?" Fili questions.

"His name is Kili." Thorin answers.

"Hello Kili." Fili says with a smile, and Kili just stares up at him with wide eyes. To Thorin, it looks as though he's taking in every bit of Fili he can.

"I'm going to be the best big brother I can. I'm going to teach you everything I know so you'll be smart." At those words, baby Kili smiles like he knows what his brother just said. He reaches his chubby hand up to grab hold of one of Fili's braids, but he doesn't pull. He just holds it, as if he's decided he likes it. Fili smiles wide.

"I changed my mind, Uncle Thorin." he says. "I do want him."


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:**** Thank you for the wonderful reviews! I'd like to give a special thanks to: ****Bookdancer ****, ****lauriethelemon ,****ariande915 ,**** and ****Purestrongpoem ****for the first reviews I received on this account! :) Thank you guys for helping me along.**

**This chapter's a little longer than the last, and the boys are a bit older as well :) Hope you enjoy! **

**I DO ****_NOT_**** OWN THE** HOBBIT

"Uncle Thorin!" Kili yelled through tears. "Fili hit me!" his little voice echoed off the stone walls as he ran down the hallway, his footsteps were heavy and hurried.

Thorin's first thought was that the boy was exaggerating like he usually did, but when he turned to his dark-haired nephew, he saw how wrong he was. Kili's nose was bleeding steadily, the red liquid dripping down his face and mixing with tears. The front of his shirt was stained with little red spots. When he reached Thorin, he collapsed to his knees, shaking from crying, and perhaps fear. Thorin bent down to pick up his young nephew, holding him close to his chest and patting his back gently. Small arms wrapped themselves around large shoulders as best as they could. His little hands gripped onto Thorin's shirt like a lifeline. His body shook as he sobbed.

"Hush now," he told Kili. "How do you expect to be a warrior of you cry of something such a small injury?" of course, he was only teasing the boy, trying to make him feel better, even though he knew it wasn't going to work. About this time was when Thorin saw the flash of blonde disappear around a corner.

"Fili!" he called. That was all he needed to say. The blonde dwarf came back around with great reluctance, shuffling slowly to his uncle and brother. He stared at the floor the entire way, either too scared or too stubborn to meet Thorin's gaze. He didn't say a single word, even as he stood before his uncle.

"Tell me something, would you?" Thorin said. "What made you think it was okay to hit your brother?" Fili glared at the floor, refusing to offer up any explanation.

"Let me rephrase the question. What happened?"

"He called me a coward." Fili mumbled after a long moment of silence. "He insulted me, so I hit him."

"Are you a coward?" Thorin questioned.

"No!" Fili said indignantly, glaring up at Thorin. "I am a Durin! We are_ not_ cowards!"

"Are you sure?" Thorin asked, raising his eyebrows at the blonde. "I haven't ever met a Durin who lost their temper at such a little insult."

"But-"

"Hush. You need to learn how to deal with these things, Fili. You have to set an example for Kili, and one day, the entirety of Erebor." Thorin's gaze found Fili's, and the little boy stubbornly held it. "Only a coward would attack someone because of their words. You must learn to control your anger."

"But, Uncle-"

"You said you were not a coward, am I correct?"

"...Yes sir."

"Then what Kili said was wrong?"

"Yes."

"Then there was absolutely no reason to hurt him." Thorin said seriously. "You bloodied his nose, Fili." the blonde's face visibly paled.

"I...I did?" he looked as if he were about to faint. "I didn't know, he ran out before I saw, I didn't mean to..." that's when Kili started to squirm. He pushed at Thorin's shoulders, obviously wanting to be put down. Thorin set him down, and he practically tackled his brother with a hug, clinging to him like he would disappear if he let go. Fili stumbled back a few steps before he righted himself and returned Kili's hug with the same ferocity.

"I'm sorry I called you a coward." Kili mumbled against Fili's shoulder. "It was wrong to do it, I know that now."

"I apologize for hitting you." Fili said, and Thorin could hear the tears in his voice. "I didn't mean to injure you..." at this, Kili let go of his brother, laughing. He stepped back a bit, and put his hand on his hips.

"Are you kidding? I'm a warrior!" he said. "I'll get way worse injuries once I get to go to war someday!" Fili just laughed in response.

"Come on, then!" The blonde took his brother's hand and they ran back down the hallway, presumably to play. Thorin went his own way, but what Kili said stuck with him all day.

_"I'll get way worse injuries once I go to war someday!"_

Thorin wasn't sure he was ready to hear that, no matter how far away it was.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note:**** Thank you again, guys, for all your amazing reviews! Don't forget, you can meassge me a prompt, or write on when you review! Enjoy!**

_**I DO **__**NOT**__** OWN THE HOBBIT. **_

_**Prompt for this story from: **__**ballykissangel**__** (since it's kind of long, I'm paraphrasing) Seven year old (human years) Fili is scared of Thorin. He's always yelling and getting him in trouble. Also, it's very apparent (to Fili) that he likes Kili better (not true), so it's hard for him to see that his uncle loves him. Something happens and Fili learns to trust Thorin, and Thorin learns not to yell so much. **_

As he runs, he remembers the words.

_"You can't keep doing these things! You're supposed to be setting an example for your brother!"_

He dodges dwarves as he runs through the halls, hot tears rolling down his cheeks, catching in the air as he goes, letting go of his skin and flying back into his hair. He sprints as fast as he can towards the huge opening at the front of the mountain. He's vaguely aware of someone yelling his name, but he can't tell if the voice is male or female. Still, he doesn't stop. He reaches the stairs and takes them down two at a time.

_"How do you ever expect to rule this kingdom one day if you can't even act appropriately in public?"_

He stumbles six times before he reaches the last four stairs, and jumps over them, hitting the ground hard and losing his footing. He falls forward and hits his head on something, he isn't sure what. All he knows is he really can hear someone yelling for him, and it's Uncle Thorin's voice. He doesn't give himself time to decide if he's mad or not before he scrambling up and running again.

_"You are supposed to act respectably! Do you even know how embarrassing that was for your mother and I?"_

He makes for the trees. He knows if he gets far enough in, he'll get lost. And that's exactly what he wants. As he gets closer, he has to dodge large rocks about as high as his waist. There's one he doesn't see until the last minute, and when he tries to jump over, his foot catches and he falls nose first into the hard ground. He doesn't waste time to see if the new wetness running down his face is tears or blood. he just gathers himself and keeps running. His legs are getting dreadfully tired, but he can still hear Thorin's voice, so he isn't about to stop.

_"You are a Durin, damn it! Act like one for once!"_

As he goes, he's unaware of the growling and the shaking of bikes around him. He doesn't know abou the warg that's been on his tail ever since he hit the rock. Well, until it jumps out in front of him and he almost can't stop fast enough. As he skids to a stop and lands flat in his rear, he screams, and even though he's pretty sure it sounded like a girl, he doesn't care. All he cares about is living to see supper.

"Uncle Thorin!" he screams, attempting to crawl backwards as the warg moves forward. "Thorin!"

And suddenly, there he is. To Fili, it seems as though he comes out of nowhere, a rescue angel in Fili's time of need. And this is when Fili realizes Thorin is without his sword. He sees that he's picked up a thick tree branch, as is bringing it down upon the beast's head to grab it's attention.  
It works, and suddenly it's after Thorin, snarling and snapping as he swings the branch around again and smashes it into the warg's shoulder with a sickening crack and a disgusting spray of blood that makes Fili's stomach beast yelps like a kicked puppy, and crumbles under it's own weight. One more blow to the head and one last yelp and it's dead.

Thorin's chest heaves as he tries to get breath back into his lungs. He's vaguely aware of the sound of retching, and when he turns to Fili, he's doubled over getting sick in the grass. He's got blood in his hair that clearly isn't his, and Thorin doesn't blame him for how he took it. He makes his way over, dropping the branch as he goes. He reaches Fili just as the boys gets up and takes a few steps away. He watches as he grabs two handfuls of dirt and throws them over his sick spot. Then he turns to Thorin.

Thorin can't get him in a hug fast enough. He's got Fili pulled tight to his chest quicker than he could say his name. He feels smaller arms attempt to wrap around him, and though they don't get even half-way around, he let's out a sigh of relief.

"Please tell me you aren't hurt." he says, not willing to let go. When the blonde mutters a 'no' into his shirt, he's content.

"I'm so so sorry." he says, fighting back tears. "I never should have yelled."

"I don't care about that anymore." Fili mumbles. "I'm alive because of you. Thank you." and this time, Thorin doesn't fight. He let's the tears go as he soothingly pets Fili's hair.

"Let's get you home." he says. "You need a bath."

Fili just laughs.


End file.
